Paint Your Wagon

Orithain

September 2002

Disclaimer: Mulder and Krycek and any other passing X-Files characters are the property of Chris Carter, 1013 Productions and 20th Century Fox. The idea and title of Paint Your Wagon come from the movie of the same name copyright 1969 by Paramount Pictures Corporation and Alan Jay Lerner Productions, Inc. Some of the dialogue is taken almost word for word from the movie.

Startled by the crash, Alex Krycek, miner, occasional trapper, gambler and drunk, went to see what had happened. He found that yet another batch of fools had tried to take a wagon train over the pass. They were damned lucky that only one wagon had gone over. When he reached the shattered remains of the Conestoga, he found a young couple. Checking the woman, he realized that her neck was broken, then nearly jumped out of his skin when another member of the party yelled down to him, asking him if she was dead. Grumbling to himself about damned fools and reflecting that it was lucky that this section of the mountain wasn't prone to rockslides, he yelled back that he hoped so because he was going to bury her.

Once the startled settlers disappeared from the edge, presumably to find a less jarring route down, he moved toward the man. Muddy hazel eyes opened part way as he crouched at the man's side, one managing to focus on him, and the bloodied lips moved.

"What?" Alex asked, leaning closer, and the man tried again.

"My sister?"

Oh. Not his wife then, but if a brother and sister of their age were traveling west together, it was likely that she had been all the family this poor fellow had. "Sorry," he said, and the hazel eyes closed again, but not before he'd seen the flash of pain.

He was unconscious again by the time the other men of his party reached them, and Alex began digging a grave for the young woman while one of them, a horse doctor, checked the injured man over. "How is he?"

"Broke his leg and got himself a nasty bump on the head. We can't rightly bring him on in his condition."

Alex nodded absently, noticing the glitter of gold in the dirt he was shoveling. By God, he'd finally struck it rich! Careful not to give himself away, he helped the men lay the wrapped body in the hole and gave a brief speech commending her soul to the Almighty. As he was speaking, he saw one of the men's eyes widen, and in mid-eulogy, he stamped down on the man's wrist, yelled, "I stake this claim for me an' my new pardner over there, whatever the hell his name is!" then continued, "Amen."

A few weeks passed and the former pioneer turned gold miner, whose name turned out to be Mulder, though he hadn't yet shared his given name, was able to hobble around, albeit painfully, thanks to a crutch Alex provided him and the splint supporting his healing leg. The word had spread of the strike, and miners had come from miles around, the encampment growing until they sarcastically named the settlement No-Name City.

Finally Mulder faced down Alex, wanting to know where he stood with this man who had nursed him back to health and given him half of his claim, for no reason that he could see. "You know," he said, "it just doesn't seem right, Mr. Krycek, you doing all the work and me getting half. I mean it's your mule, your tools and all."

"Well, it was your sister," Alex replied dryly, never stopping pouring and weighing the gold dust he'd gleaned from their claim so far.

"Well, where I come from, Mr. Krycek, we're cautious of strangers who talk in an easy manner."

"Oh, you've got me down as some kind of low scum from New Orleans, hmm? Sell you patent medicine with one hand, pinch your purse with the other?"

"As a matter of fact, that's kind of what I was thinking."

"As a matter of fact, Mulder, you're right. But I haven't yet sunk to horse stealing. I can't think of one commandment I haven't shattered... often. But there is one thing I never do; I have never gulled a partner. The one sacred thing, even to low scum like me, is a man's partner." He finished weighing the gold dust and looked up, meeting the wary hazel gaze. "Now you pass me your pouch, I'll pour your share." As the young man stared at him for a long moment before reaching for his pouch, Alex said sharply, "Mulder!" Waiting till their eyes met again, he added, "I'll trade pouches with you any time you say."

"Well, I meant no offense, Mr. Krycek, and I appreciate you saving my life and all--"

"But you just want to know what's expected of you in return."

"That's right. I like to know what crops I'm blending."

"Well, when I get dead drunk, fall in the muddy street, I expect you to come get me 'cause I don't want to die muddy drunk. If I owe a man a hundred dollars, I expect you to stand good for me. And if I get melancholy--which can happen--I expect you to be my companion and to solace me."

Looking a little uneasy, Mulder chose not to explore what exactly would be involved in solacing him. "What happens when you get in a fight?"

"Well, if four of anything come at me at one time, you might lend a fist. Up until that, I can pretty well take care of myself. You see, I don't fight fair." He darted a glance up, green eyes sparkling devilishly and a wry smile on his lips.

"Oh, I don't fight at all, unless I absolutely have to," Mulder replied earnestly. "I have kind of a temper, and once I start, I just can't quit."

"Well, good! Just remember that I'm on your side." Alex's smile this time made the other man shift uncomfortably. It widened still more as he held out the filled pouch to Mulder, waiting until he accepted it and hung it from his belt.

"I hear a shopkeeper's pulled into town with a wagon full of whiskey. What do you say I hoist you up that mule and we go down there and get boiled?"

"I'm not a boozing man either, Mr. Krycek."

Alex chuckled quietly. "Well, I am." And while Mulder watched uneasily, he stood up and led the way out the mule, apparently expecting the other man to accompany him and fulfill the first of his conditions of a partnership, if necessary. And Mulder had a feeling it would be.

Krycek led the mule into town and introduced Mulder to the others, many of whom Alex had known in other mining towns. The bemused Mulder met gamblers, miners, drunkards, and the shopkeeper, all of whom seemed to know Mr. Krycek. Silently, he followed the other man about, finally sinking down into a chair with a sarsaparilla while he waited for the other man to be ready to go back to their claim.

Eventually, he grew tired of waiting and set out to try to find Krycek, whom he hadn't seen in several hours. Along the way, he found a man who was owed eighty dollars, and he fulfilled another condition of their partnership as he paid the debt. Finally, Mulder managed to track his erstwhile partner down, finding him drunk and morose in the muddy street, rain beating down upon him. Somehow, he managed to get him onto the mule and took him back to their camp.

"I guess this is what you meant when you said you expected me to come get you, muddy drunk in the street."

"And now you're going to be my companion in my moments of despair."

"You're my partner, aren't you?" Mulder shrugged, smiling slightly.

"Hey, I like you, partner," Alex said, staring at him from mere inches away.

"I like you, Alex."

They stared at each a while longer, rain pouring down on them as they stood outside their tent, Alex now standing up, one hand on the shifting mule to maintain his balance. Neither was ever sure which of them moved first, but suddenly they were kissing, at first awkwardly, then feverishly as they pressed together.

Mulder raised his head suddenly, staring questioningly at Alex, who, despite his drunkenness, met his gaze forthrightly. "Is this what you meant by solace?" He licked his lips, and Alex's gaze focused on his tongue. Only when Mulder repeated the question did he tear his eyes from the glistening lips to meet the other man's gaze.

"I hoped. Didn't know if you... were interested," he said delicately. "But I see that's not a problem." He arched his back slightly, pressing against Mulder's hardness.

"I... No. No, it's not." Not wanting anyone to see them if someone happened past on the way to their own camp, Mulder maneuvered them inside the tent, lighting the lamp and turning it low, then turning to face Alex nervously.

"If you don't want to..." Alex started, cursing himself even as he did, but he didn't want to ruin their partnership and chase him away by pressing him into anything.

"No! That is, I do want to. I just..." The rest was a whispered jumble, unintelligible.

"What? Mulder..."

"I said I haven't ever done this before!" he snapped, goaded past his embarrassment.

"Didn't think you had," Alex replied soothingly, moving closer now that he was sure what the problem was, remarkably graceful considering how drunk he had appeared only a short time before.

Mulder eyed him suspiciously. "Are you really drunk?"

"Some," Alex shrugged. "I'm half Russian. Being drunk comes naturally. As do black moods from time to time. It passes." Now close enough to kiss Mulder again, he did so, lips parting eagerly to allow his tongue to sweep over his partner's, then slip inside when Mulder opened to him.

Never letting their mouths separate for more than the instant required to gasp in air, Alex slowly undressed the other man. First went the suspenders, and then he unfastened the pants, fingers delving inside for a moment to stroke over the rigid length. When Mulder gasped, he purred a laugh and raised his hand to his mouth, licking his fingers clean with catlike enjoyment.

"You... that... Sweet mother of God!" Mulder felt his cock jump at the sheer lewd sexiness of Alex's actions, and his mouth fell open as he panted for air.

"Very sweet," Alex agreed, kissing Mulder again so he could taste himself in the other man's mouth. As he did, he pulled Mulder's shirt free of his pants, then undid the buttons so he could run his palms over the bare chest, fingers kneading gently. Soon, however, he'd undressed Mulder as much as possible while he was still wearing his boots, and he had to step back.

"Take your boots off," he whispered, heated gaze raking over the naked body while he tugged at his own clothing, stripping hastily. "Dear Lord, you are incredible," he whispered, taking a step closer to close his mouth over one stiffening nipple. He heard a mewling whine as he suckled, but he didn't stop until Mulder suddenly collapsed onto the pallet, one foot still tangled in his pants.

Chuckling, he sank down and pulled the other man's clothes the rest of the way off, then stretched out beside him, hands eagerly exploring the naked expanse while they kissed. Their bodies entwined together, casting a single shadow on the thick canvas wall of the tent, and they rolled on the bedding, seeking to get still closer. Sweat-slicked flesh slid easily as they moved, hands exploring hesitantly and eagerly by turns.

"Oh dear Lord," Mulder murmured prayerfully. "I didn't know, didn't imagine... so much better." The hard, muscled body against him felt so good, so different from the soft curves of the few women he'd bedded, and he wanted more, though he couldn't imagine how this would work.

"Please," he panted, hands clawing feverishly at Alex's back, pulling him closer. He moaned, the sound high and frantic, when their erections slid together between them, and his legs parted without his conscious volition to allow Alex between them.

"Oh yes," Alex rasped, licking Mulder's throat. Good as this was, it wasn't nearly enough, and he rose up slightly, smiling at the other man's protest, to take their cocks in hand, stroking them rapidly as he gathered their fluids in his palm. Using that to ease his way, he worked a fingertip inside Mulder, stopping when he cried out.

"Okay?" he managed to ask, thinking that it would kill him to stop now. When Mulder nodded hesitantly, not sure that it was all right but not wanting him to stop either, he kissed him, his tongue delving into his partner's mouth as he soon hoped to be inside his body. He gradually worked the finger deeper as Mulder relaxed, distracted by the voracious kiss, moving it gently until the tight muscle yielded to the unfamiliar presence.

Adding a second finger made Mulder tense again, but when Alex found the spot inside him that gave such pleasure, he cried out in stunned joy and arched upward, involuntarily driving the other man's fingers deeper.

Still kissing him, Alex spread their precome over his rigid cock, then removed his fingers and positioned himself at the loosened opening. He pressed forward against the resistance, hand stroking Mulder's erection as he whimpered, then finally popped inside.

Mulder's hands clenched desperately on Alex's arms, and his whole body stiffened as he cried out. "Hurts!" he moaned, trying to writhe away but only impaling himself further.

"Shhh," Alex soothed. "You'll see, it's going to feel so good..." He remained still, fighting his body's urge to move, to thrust and take, until Mulder slowly relaxed, though he whimpered again when Alex carefully pressed forward, advancing bit by bit until he was fully sheathed in his partner's body. Reaching between them again, he stroked Mulder's softening cock, reawakening his interest, at the same time rocking his hips ever so slightly until he felt Mulder open to him and arch upward finally, seeking more.

Gasping, Mulder couldn't believe it. A moment before there had been pain, burning, tearing pain that made him want to shove Alex away from him, but now... now it suddenly felt good, he felt so full with Alex inside him, and he wanted more, needed more. His body rose, taking the other man a little deeper, then fell back to the tangled blankets beneath them, and he moaned at the intense sensation. "God, Alex, please," he begged, not knowing what he needed but sure that Alex could give it to him.

"Yes," Alex groaned, finally starting to move, groaning at the tight, clinging heat that surrounded him. "So good, fuck yes, Mulder." He bit down on Mulder's throat, barely restraining himself from breaking the skin as he took him, his hips gradually picking up speed while Mulder writhed and whined beneath him. He was barely aware of the fingers clawing at him, not in protest but in an attempt to draw him nearer, and then he stiffened and let out a wordless cry as he drove deep a final time and came.

A moment later, when the last tremors of pleasure were ebbing through his body, he realized that Mulder was still whimpering and squirming, seeking his own pleasure, having been left behind when Alex climaxed. "Sorry, Mulder, let me make it up to you," Alex whispered, carefully pulling out him and sliding down his body.

"You'll like this too." He glanced up, the lamplight reflecting off his eyes, then dragged his tongue along the shaft, making Mulder arch up into a bow, fingers clenching in the bedding. "Told ya," he chuckled, mouthing him, then sliding a little lower to take his balls into his mouth. Only able to swallow one at a time, he played for a little while until Mulder's grip on his hair threatened to scalp him. "Impatient, aren't you?"

Not teasing any longer, he took a deep breath, opened his mouth, and seemingly dived onto him, letting the full length glide down his throat until his nose was pressed to Mulder's belly. His head bobbed up and down slightly, and the first time he swallowed, his throat muscles massaging the head of Mulder's cock, his partner screamed wildly and came hard, trembling as he felt like he turned inside out.

Sliding up to lie beside him again, Alex propped his head on one hand and grinned down at the panting man, green eyes sparkling mischievously. "And that, partner, is how I define solacing!"

The next several weeks passed well enough, one day sliding into the next in a haze of sameness, broken only by the day that Mulder took the splint off his leg and found that it had healed properly. He and Alex celebrated by tumbling into bed, leaving him unable to walk for a completely different reason the next morning.

While this was far from the life he'd envisioned for himself and Samantha when they'd left Massachusetts, and he still missed his sister every day, Mulder realized that he was content. Although he did have to admit that his ease had more to do with his partner and their true relationship than the panning for gold. He could never have imagined how abruptly things would change.

It was a crisp day in late summer, the weather warning of the coming change of seasons, and Mulder left Alex drinking with one of the other miners, drowning his sorrows, though what had set him off this time the former farmer had no idea. Deciding to stretch his legs, his attention was caught by an uproar at the edge of town, and he wandered over to see what was happening.

Much to his surprise and everyone's excitement, a family had just arrived, a man of mature years, two attractive women--and they still would have been even if the men had seen another woman in the last six months--and a baby.

"What's going on?" Mulder asked the man beside him, who shrugged.

"Don't know. They just got here."

As the men stared at the two women and the baby, the pioneer introduced himself as Walter Skinner and the two women as his wives Dana and Tamsin. Although startled, the men were easy-going and simply accepted the unlikely event of having a Mormon in their midst. The entire mass of them followed as the newcomers went in search of something to eat.

Once the newcomers had been fed, however, one of the men suddenly rose up, crying out against the unfairness of Walter Skinner having two wives while the rest of them had none. He offered his mule for one of the women, specifying that it should not be the baby's mother, not wanting to take a woman from her child.

Suddenly, every man in the town was bidding, avid eyes fixed on Tamsin, who watched them somewhat uneasily as she continued eating. Dana took the opportunity to urge Walter to take the offers and be rid of the blonde, the two women exchanging a look of pure venomous hatred.

"Brigham Young has twenty-seven wives, and he hasn't had half the trouble I've had with the two of you!" Walter growled.

"Then simplify your life, Walter. Sell me." Tamsin shrugged.

"But, Tamsin, you don't know what you'll get."

"I know what I've had."

Eyes narrowing, Walter rose to his feet. "Gentlemen, Tamsin is a headstrong woman, but she's given her consent to be sold. Therefore, if any of you want to bid for her, so be it. Now let's go outside... where there's room for more people." Bidding Tamsin remain indoors to maintain some decorum, Walter went back outside, Dana following on his heels, leaving the baby with the younger woman.

As the bidding grew wilder, Tamsin stared down at the baby in her arms, listening to the shouts she could hear from outside. Though she could not complain of Walter's treatment of her, she wanted more, wanted a man who truly wanted her, and that she could never have with her husband, since he loved Dana. Selling herself to the highest bidder had never entered her mind before this day, but she comforted herself with the thought that things could not be worse.

She cringed slightly when she overheard one man yell a question about how she could be married to the winner, and the auctioneer replied, "She will be married according to the prevailing law of this community, mining law! And she will be treated like any other legal claim."

She vaguely noticed a man, a drunken, stumbling lout, rise up from where he'd been lying in a stupor, but she ignored him while singing quietly to Dana's child, and he disappeared again, leaving her to her thoughts.

Shortly afterward, a roar let her know that the auction had been completed, and when Dana and Walter took the child from her, she stepped out warily. Her eyes darted from one man to the next, seeking the gleam of possession, and she hesitated when one attractive young man smiled at her. Her own lips curled and she took a hesitant step toward him, only to stop when he shook his head, stepped back slightly, and pointed downward.

"His name's Alex Krycek, ma'am. My partner."

It was the drunk from the tent. Tamsin wondered if she could possibly faint and waken to find this was all some horrible dream.

"He only looks that way when he's drunk, ma'am. You aren't exactly seeing him at his best. Once I get him washed down and clipped, I think you'll be agreeably surprised." And then the damned bastard can explain to me why he just spent eight hundred dollars of our money on you! Mulder could hardly bear to look at her.

An hour later Tamsin stared at the washed and shaven Alex Krycek, and she was hard-pressed to believe that this was the same man. Shorn of his shaggy beard and cleaned up, he was a stunning man, even more attractive than his partner. After their 'marriage ceremony', Alex took her back to the tent he shared with Mulder, who found himself sleeping under the stars that night.

The next morning Alex came out of the tent, stretching, a satisfied smile on his face, and came face to face with a silent Mulder. "Ahhh, Mulder. This doesn't change anything between us, partner."

"I think she might have something to say about that," Mulder hissed back, trying to keep his voice down so as not to awaken 'Mrs. Krycek'.

Alex looked baffled. "What does she have to say about it? I'm the man."

"Oh, Alex, you have even more trouble than I thought," Mulder replied, shaking his head in unwilling sympathy.

"Indeed," came the very cool interjection, and both men turned to find themselves the focus of a frigid green gaze. "Perhaps you would care to explain to me what exactly we're discussing?" She looked from one to the next, and her eyes first widened then closed briefly. "So once again I'm the second wife, it appears," she whispered, staring down at her bare feet beneath her nightrail.

There had been a young man who lived near her family when she was younger, who was of that persuasion, and she recognized the look the men exchanged. "Why did you bid on me?" she asked painfully, then looked up in confusion, remembering the night just past. Alex had certainly showed no signs of distaste.

Alex sighed, not about to tell her that he'd been so drunk that he had absolutely no recollection of having done so. "Children," he blurted out, inspired. "A man wants to leave some sign that he's been on this earth, and that takes a woman."

Tamsin frowned. "This does not seem an ideal situation, Mr. Krycek. And just how are you planning to... handle this?" she asked delicately.

"Well, ma'am, it appears I'm going to have to build us a cabin, one that will keep prying eyes from our private affairs. If you're willing to help me, Mulder?"

Still disturbed by recent events, Mulder was relieved nonetheless by Alex's clear intention not to forget about him now that he had a wife, and he nodded. "I'm sure the others would be willing to lend a hand as well, seeing as how it's for Mrs. Krycek."

Mulder'd called it right, and long before the first snows arrived, the three of them had a snug cabin, and what happened behind its doors was no one's business but their own. At first Alex alternated nights, one with Tamsin, the next with Mulder; of course, some nights were just for sleep, but he still made sure not to stint one in favor of the other. Oddly, it was Tamsin herself who changed all that.

It was one of the coldest nights of the winter, and she was glad that it was her night with Alex as she huddled against him for warmth. Not even the banked fire was helping, nor all the blankets they'd piled on, and she shivered at the thought of trying to stay warm on her own. Then her conscience pricked her as she thought of poor Mulder, in exactly that situation, without even the heat of Alex's body at his back.

"Alex?"

"Mmm?" No more than she could he sleep, listening to the bitter wind howl around the cabin, sounding like some vicious wild beast seeking a way inside to get them.

"It's too cold to be alone. Go get Mulder and bring him here. All three of us will be the warmer for being together."

Utter stillness for a long moment, so much so that she might have thought him suddenly vanished by some spell had she not known better. "Are you sure?" he finally asked cautiously.

"Yes, go. Before the poor man freezes solid." She gave him a gentle push, then curled in on herself, trying to retain his warmth when he slipped out from under the covers.

Apparently Mulder was as dubious as Alex had seemed for it took several minutes before the men appeared. They came to a halt at the side of the bed, staring down at her, the tip of her nose, bright green eyes and the top of her blonde head all that was visible.

"Don't be foolish. You'll catch your deaths standing there. Get under the covers." They still hesitated a moment longer before slipping in, Alex in the middle and Mulder lying stiffly along the outside of the bed. "Mr. Krycek, Mulder, the point of this is for us to share our body heat," she finally said in exasperation, rolling to face Alex and pressing close.

"This really isn't a good idea," Mulder muttered, a faint undertone of desperation in his voice.

"Why not?" she demanded sharply, and Alex remained still and silent, not about to interfere in what appeared likely to turn nasty.

"Because I can't be this close to him without wanting him! And you're a very beautiful woman as well!" Mulder snapped, shooting her a furious glare.

"Oh." Taken aback, Tamsin stared into the snapping hazel eyes only inches away, only Alex's body down the middle of the bed separating them. "I..."

"Go to sleep, Tamsin," Alex said wearily. "In the morning the storm will have passed, and things will go on as usual."

"M-maybe I don't want them to," she whispered, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. She darted a glance at first Mulder then Alex, then rolled over to bury her face in her pillow, cheeks scarlet with embarrassment. Not for anything could she tell them that some nights she had heard them together, and she... was curious. The mere memory of the way they sounded together brought heat pooling in her belly, and she squirmed slightly.

"Tamsin?" Alex said her name softly, a question and dawning understanding in his voice. He reached for her, slowly so she could stop him if she wanted to, and he raised her gown to her waist, his fingers seeking and finding the wetness between her legs. "Ah, my sweet, sweet Sin," he purred, using the pet name he called her in bed.

He stroked her while she kept her face buried in the pillow, and tiny sounds of pleasure broke from her as her hips moved outside of her control. Her rump rose, thrust back at him, and then she froze when she heard the strangled sound that Mulder made.

Alex looked over his shoulder at his other lover, green eyes questioning. Not sure what to say or do, Mulder only stared back, waiting. Nodding slightly, Alex returned his attention to Tamsin.

"Have you listened to us, my Sin? Do you like what you hear? Do you want to watch us, to see Mulder and me together, to feel me inside you while he is in me?" he purred in that throaty voice that made both of the others melt.

She whimpered shamefully, but another gush of fluid over his fingers answered for her.

Alex rolled her onto her back, stripping the heaven woolen nightrail from her body. Cold was no longer a problem. "Then that's what we'll do. But first, you're going to make it easier for us, my dear." He pulled his own underwear off, then looked back at Mulder, who hesitated, then followed suit.

"Are you sure about this?" Mulder questioned almost voicelessly, eyes darting from Tamsin's flushed face to Alex's.

"Look at her, Mulder," Alex urged, fingers still deep inside her while she writhed. He pulled back the covers for a moment, knowing that she was too hot now to be chilled by the room's temperature, and he smiled at the look on Mulder's face.

Alex pulled Mulder over him and atop Tamsin, and while the other two were still staring wide-eyed at each other, he reached between them and slid the tip of Mulder's erection inside her. Both gasped, and then they moved, Tamsin's legs rising around Mulder's waist as he drove into her, feeling the wet warmth of a woman for the first time in a very long while.

Tamsin stared up at him in shock, gasping as he took her. He felt so different from Alex, so good, but... She looked over at her husband, who was watching with... approval? "Alex?"

"All of us, together. That's what I want," Alex breathed, leaning over to kiss first her then Mulder. He watched as they moved together, then whispered, "Don't come, Mulder; I want you in me when you do."

Both of the others shuddered.

Smiling wickedly, Alex reached between them, his fingers finding the rigid bud of her clitoris and plucking at it while Mulder continued to drive into her. Tamsin's eyes widened, and she arched up, crying out incoherently as her climax rushed over her. Feeling the spasms, Mulder fought not to give in to the pleasure trying to overwhelm him as well, sweat dripping from him when he finally stilled.

"So very good," Alex purred, tugging on him until he slipped out of Tamsin. "My turn now."

He'd been hard for so long, and now he moved over his wife as his partner moved aside, sliding easily inside her and making her cry out again. Once fully sheathed, he looked over at Mulder, eyeing his slick cock eagerly. "I want you in me."

Hearing those words from Alex pulled a cry from both of the others, and Mulder moved behind him, positioning himself between the other man's spread legs. Slicked with Tamsin's fluids, he pushed forward into Alex's body, groaning harshly as the familiar tightness closed around him.

"Ahhh, yes," Alex groaned harshly, his back arching as Mulder filled him. The force of the other man's thrust had driven him deeper into Tamsin, who cried out, her body rippling again in another tiny orgasm. Bracing his arms so as not to crush her beneath their weight, Alex allowed Mulder's rhythm to push him into his wife, then slowly began to move as well, matching his strokes.

Whimpering almost frantically, pinned open beneath the two men, Tamsin writhed, her body flowing from one peak to the next as they moved together. Her legs again rose, wrapping around both men as she arched upward, somehow taking Alex still deeper, which inspired them both to thrust harder, and she screamed as she climaxed again.

Feeling Tamsin come, her body rippling around him, clenching tightly then relaxing, drove Alex over the edge as well. He was living out his most cherished fantasy, and it was even better than he'd imagined. Tamsin was tight around him and Mulder hard within him, and he cried out wordlessly as he exploded into pleasure.

Mulder somehow managed to hold out for a little longer, driving into Alex again and again as he shook with his climax, but the intensity of the experience soon overwhelmed him as well. He came silently, biting down on his lip to hold back his cries, eyes meeting Tamsin's over Alex's now prone body.

Still shaking, he disengaged from the other man, pulling a sigh from each of them, and toppled to one side, where he lay panting. As his body cooled, he noticed the chill of the room again, and he reached down to pull the discarded covers back over all of them.

They lay in silence, Alex having shifted off of Tamsin and back between the other two, no one sure what to say or how to begin. Finally, unable to stand the increasingly uncomfortable atmosphere, Tamsin spoke up.

"Was this... for tonight only?" she asked delicately, not sure if she wanted the answer to be yes or no. She looked across Alex's body at Mulder, only his tousled head visible above the covers, and she felt a clenching low in her belly as she remembered how he had felt inside her.

Staring up at the ceiling, since he refused to turn to face either of them and put his back to the other, Alex admitted, "I want both of you. I don't want this to drive either of you away from me. Or each other," he added carefully.

Mulder looked at each of the others in turn, frowning. "I don't see how this can work. She's your wife, Alex." And he'd seen how possessive Alex could be when one of the men in town had flirted with her.

"By mining law," Alex pointed out. "As a claim... and you and I are partners. Technically, that makes her your wife too if we want to look at it that way."

"I suppose," Mulder said slowly. "I'm not saying no, mind you, but... How do you feel about this, T-Tamsin?" He hesitated over the name, but it seemed absurd to call her Mrs. Krycek at this point.

Tamsin fumbled for her nightrail, using it as an excuse to avoid answering while she thought about it for a moment. Decently covered once again, she sat up against the headboard, pillows at her back, knees drawn up to her chest and her arms tightly encircling them, covers up for warmth. "Well," she said finally, "I suppose if my first husband could have two wives, there's no reason why all three of us can't be married. If that's what we all want."

"What about children?" Mulder wanted to know.

After a quick glance at Alex, Tamsin shrugged. "We'll have them. And you'll both be their fathers. There won't be any way or reason to say otherwise. Since I'm already Mrs. Krycek, I suppose they'll have Alex's name, but they'll be your children as well, Mulder." She frowned suddenly. "What is your name, Mulder?"

He looked a bit abashed but replied. "Fox."

"I like it," she said with approval. "It's a strong name. One that one of our sons will carry as well."

"People will talk," Alex pointed out, knowing that it was more likely to bother the other two than him and wanting to get it out of the way before it caused a problem.

"So we ignore them. Or if it grows too bad, we move somewhere else," Mulder suggested.

"Yes, now that we've found each other, I'll not let gossip drive us apart," Tamsin agreed. "If need be, we can always go to Utah."

"As a last resort," Alex agreed. "But I think we'll find our place. Together."

Smiles spread across all three faces as they realized that this was something that they all wanted and were willing to work for. When they finally fell asleep some time later, Tamsin lay curled between the two men, arms and legs of all of them tangled together.

Alex woke, shifting uncomfortably beneath both Sin and Mulder until he could get a free breath, then relaxed again as he smiled at his two lovers. He'd fallen asleep while they'd been watching the old musical, and somehow his dream had replaced the characters with the three of them. "I like our ending better," he murmured.

"Hmm?" Mulder grunted sleepily, curling around him.

"Nothing, Fox, go back to sleep." With a smile on his lips, Alex took his own advice.

END

Note: A birthday present for Ursula, combining the beginning of one of her favorite movies with one of my series that she'd said she wanted to see more of. The result is this very odd mixture of Sinful and an old musical. :) Happy Birthday, Ursula.

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