"You're sulking again, Danny."

"No, I'm not."

"Oh, I grant ya that someone who doesn't know ya might not be able to tell, since ya look sulky even when you're in the best of moods. But you can't shite me, Danny boy. I know you, inside and out. What is it?"

Daniel closed his suitcase and moved it to the floor. "Well, Connor, what is it usuallythese days?"

"We've been over this a hundred times, Danny."

"And we'll be over it a hundred more. You know how I feel."

"And ya knew what I was when ya left Yarborough. I may not have told you straight out till after we got to Dublin, but ya knew."

"Yes, I knew. And it didn't matter. But Connor, drugs."

Danny sighed and sat on the edge of the bed in their hotel room, rubbing his face. Connor sat beside him, touching his shoulder. "Sweetheart, I don't put a gun to anyone's head and force them to take the shite, do I? I'm just a business man. I don't even make it, I just move it."

"Con, it's illegal. I wouldn't really mind it all that much if it wasn't for the whopping great prison term you could rack up if they catch you. And they don't have conjugal visits for same sex couples, to the best of my knowledge."

"Conservative repressed priggish bastards."

Daniel smiled faintly. "Yes, that does cover most politicians. But it doesn't change facts. And it's dangerous, Con. People die, all the time. And other people get left alone." His voice was small.

Connor hugged him. One way he was like Ethan, he knew that physical contact was a good way to soothe his lover when he was upset. "Put that out of your head, Danny boy. It won't happen."

"You can't promise me that, Connor," he said bleakly. "This man we're going to see, Montana? He's killed people."

Connor chided him. "Danny, have you been listenin' to gossip again? You know it upsets you. I wish you wouldn't..."

"Sometimes gossip ISN'T an exaggeration, Con. It can't all be just rumors. People disappear around him, all the time. And you're going to be just... just walking into the JAWS of that animal with your head up and your eyes open."

"Nothin' will happen, darlin', because he's a business man, too, and he needs what I can give him."

Danny turned toward him, gripping Connor's collar pleadingly. "Please, Con. Let's not go. You don't have to do this, you're doing fine with your legitimate concerns. In just a few months, we could have you totally legal; I've shown you how it could be done. You could be completely clean."

"And have our income reduced by more than half, Danny."

Danny pushed him violently, standing up. "Fuck the income! Connor Galbraith, after all this time, do you think that's why I stay with you? I could be with someone who'd give me twice as much as you do, if I wanted. I could go back to peddling my ass and pull down a half million in cash and perks a year. That sheik we met at the party last month offered me a Rolls Royce, a fifteen room mansion in his country, a court position, and a fucking title if I'd leave you."

Connor's green eyes narrowed dangerously. "He did, did he? He's damn lucky he's gone back to that sand trap he calls home."

"CON!" Daniel stamped his foot. "The point I'm trying to make is that I don't CARE about the money and the things. I used to, back when I was young and stupid, but meeting you showed me what's really important. You and me, that's all that matters, and I am so afraid that you're going to get yourself killed." He was almost crying.

"Darlin'." Connor stood up, going to take Daniel in his arms. Daniel tried to twist away from him, but Connor was persistent, and gentle. He soon had the taller man in a firm embrace, stroking his back and kissing his face, cheeks, forehead, eyes.

Daniel gradually stopped his half-hearted struggling, letting his head drop onto his lover's shoulders. "Please, Con. Please stop."

"I thought you liked my kisses, Danny," he teased. Daniel slapped at him weakly, and he relented. "Soon, m'love. Soon. Just a few more years, maybe no more than two, and I can retire."

Daniel heaved a hopeless sigh. "You could retire now. But you won't. And I used to think I was stubborn. I don't hold a candle to you, you hard-headed Mick."

"Watch that luscious mouth, you Maryland cracker," Connor joked.

"I should leave you," Daniel said sadly.

Connor froze. His voice was tense, almost frightened. "Danny. Danny, don't say that. Please, boyo. You know what that does to me."

Not picking his face up from where it nestled against Connor's throat, Daniel raised a hand and tenderly stroked his cheek. "I don't mean it, love. You know that. I could never leave you, Connor. You're my life."

Connor wilted a little in relief. There had only been one or two times in their relationship that Danny had threatened to leave him. That time he tried to push Danny into a threesome with a girl had been the worst. God, was THAT ever a mistake!

He hadn't even really wanted the bitch. He'd just been curious as to what it would be like. Danny had been furious at the suggestion. Connor hadn't had enough sense to realize how serious he was, and had gone out for a drink with the twist anyway, to punish his lover.

He'd returned to find a taxi at his door and a white face Daniel with one suitcase packed, stuffing clothes into a second. Connor had chased off the cabbie with threats and curses. When Daniel tried to walk out anyway, he'd literally gone down on his knees and begged, without shame, to be given another chance.

He almost lost him. But when Daniel saw the tears on his face, he'd melted. They'd ended up sitting on the floor, holding each other, and talking all night. "I know it doesn't make sense, Con," Daniel had whispered, wrapped tight in his arms. "But somehow it's different. I can handle seeing you with another man, as long as I'm involved, too. But with a woman... I have nothing against them, though they're not to my taste, but it just feels like a betrayal. A rejection of everything I am. You KNEW how I felt, and you went anyway..."

Connor had stopped his words with a kiss. "Never again, Danny. Christ, love, you've taught me well. I can take anything but losing you."

He want to go, seeing how it upset Danny, but the meeting was already set up. Montana would not be pleased if Connor tried to blow him off at this late date. He explained this to Daniel. "So ya see, love, we HAVE to go this time. I'll try to make it the last, I swear. Once the deal is in place and runnin' smooth, I'll be able to sell the operation for a mint. Then I'll spend the rest of me life just worshipin' that delectable body of yours."

"You do that, anyway." Daniel said archly, but he smiled. He kissed Connor on the corner of the mouth. "We're fools for each other, you know that, don't you?"

"Aye, love. 'Tis a bright, mad thing, this love of ours, and I thank God for the madness."

"Oh," Daniel pushed him away playfully. "You were mad a long time before I met you." He picked up a tiny pair of red trunks and a robe from the bed. "Well, I want a swim before I turn in. If I'm good and relaxed, I can sleep on the flight over."

"You do that. Then come back here and I'll relax ya proper."

Daniel laughed. "Nasty man." He kissed his lover again. "Love you, Con."

"Love you, Danny."

Daniel walked downstairs, avoiding the elevator. He needed to be just that much more diligent in exercise these days, now that he was approaching thirty. He didn't intend to get pudgy, like some of the fabulously good looking 'companions' he'd known. Connor wouldn't leave him if he put on a pound or two, he knew that. In fact, his lover often tried to tease him into eating a little more 'so I'll have a bit to cuddle when the nights get cold.' But Connor deserved the best, and Daniel was determined to give it to him. That was the real reason he was going for this swim.

An attendant was just getting ready to lock the door to the pool when Daniel arrived. "Wait, please!"

"Sorry, sir. Ten o'clock."

"Oh, come on! Just a half hour?" The man frowned. Daniel pulled a five pound note out of his pocket and wiggled it enticing. "Twenty minutes?"

The note disappeared into the man's shirt. "G'wan, then. You can have the half hour, but no more."

"Thank you!" Danny hurried into the deserted locker room and quickly started stripping. He'd have to hurry if he wanted to get any benefit at all out of the exercise.

He was just laying his pants across the bench when the door opened, and Connor came in. He could feel the happiness bubbling up inside. He hadn't expected Connor to join him. Maybe he was remembering the few times they'd made love in a pool, and wanted to experience it again. "Con, I thought you were going to wait for me."

Connor came to him, cocking his head, with that roguish look Daniel loved so much. "Couldn't wait, darlin'. Ya know how I hate to be away from ya."

"Well, I hope you're not going to be this impatient ALL night," he teased.

"Oh, no, love. You know me." Connor caressed his cheek, and Daniel leaned into the familiar touch, eyes half shutting. "I can be just as patient as ya want, as long as ya want."

Smiling, Daniel took Connor's face in his hands, and kissed him deeply. But as his tongue sought out the sweet depths he knew so well, a cool prickle washed over him. Something wasn't right. He... tasted wrong.

Daniel pulled back, looking at him sharply. Same green eyes, same crooked smile, same impossibly handsome, dear face, but still...

"What's wrong, darlin'?"

There was something missing. There was no love in the depths of those green eyes. "You... you're not..."

"Sorry, Danny." The beautiful Irish lilt was gone, and the eyes were hard. Danny knew Connor was capable of such a look, but it had never been directed at him. At the moment he realized that the man he had just kissed was not his lover, he felt a sting on his buttock. He stumbled back, rubbing at it, staring at the man in astonishment.

"I'm sorry about this, Danny." Ethan recapped the tiny syringe and returned it to his pocket. "Don't worry, you won't be harmed. You're just going on a little retreat for a week or two, and Connor will be there to keep you company."

"No..." Daniel whispered. "Not Con! You leave him alone!" He suddenly felt dizzy. He would have fallen, but the stranger wearing Con's face caught him and eased him down onto the bench. Daniel clutched at his arm with all his waning strength. "Please, I'll do anything you say. I don't know what you want, but don't hurt Con!"

"Relax, Danny."

The other man slumped on the bench, eyes beginning to flutter closed. He looked so much like Fox that it tore at Ethan's heart to see him so helpless and vulnerable. He reminded himself that this was the paid whore of a drug dealer, but somehow the familiar epithet didn't ring true. Not after he'd witnessed how Daniel thought first of his lover, even when it seemed that his own life was in danger.

Ethan couldn't resist stroking the fine brown hair back from his forehead. Then he shook his head, and called. "Come!"

Fox and the attendant entered immediately. Mulder came to stare down at the man on the bench. "It's uncanny. I feel like I'm having an out-of-body experience."

"We can't waste time. Get into his clothes."

While Fox started to strip, the 'hotel worker' rolled a large laundry cart close to the bench. Together he and Ethan lifted Daniel's unconscious body into the cart, and arranged linens over him. Ethan made particularly sure that he had breathing space.

"Is he going to be all right?"

Ethan looked at his lover. Fox had been listening to the exchange outside the door, and he knew how Daniel had reacted. "He should be. We were very careful about checking his records for possible bad reactions, and his weight for the right dosage. He should just sleep deeply, and wake up in about eight hours. He might have a little headache, but that should be all."

"I just don't want him hurt."

"Neither do we, Mulder." Mulder was finishing buttoning up Daniel's shirt. Now he toed off his own loafers and slipped into Daniel's lace-ups, tying them. When he stood up, he shivered violently. "What is it?" Ethan asked, concerned.

Fox's hazel eyes were a little haunted when he turned them on Ethan. "I just realized. If I died right now, they'd identify me as Daniel Ballard. Same looks, same scars, same fingerprints, all his papers. I... I'm not myself anymore."

Ethan grabbed him and kissed him, hard. "You're Fox Mulder, a damn good FBI agent, going undercover. Don't forget that, Mulder. Don't lose yourself so far in the role that you can't come back to me when it's over. Now go on." He pushed Fox toward the door.

Fox stood for a moment, head down, thinking. He said 'come back to me when it's over.' Oh, God. What if he means it? Fox lifted his head. When he left the locker room, he was moving with the languid grace that characterized almost everything Daniel Ballard did.