Category: Oh, I dunno. Humor? Parody? Frustration? Rating: PG-13 Archive: Archive X, okay. Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. CC does. Bite me surfer boy. Summary: After the closing of The Socks Shoppe, Pendrell ponders. TAKING UP SHOPPE by DBKate dbkate@yahoo.com ~~~~~~~~~~ They had taken away -everything.- All the furniture, the bean bag chairs, even the lava lamp. The walls were dented where they had dragged the larger pieces out, and the fuchsia carpet had been torn right up from the floor. Pendrell looked down and then, shivered miserably -- near tears. They'd even taken the clothes off his back. He sniffled dejectedly once, and then tried to take a deep, calming breath. Oh, it would be all right, he thought. I'll just go back to the way I was, the dead lab guy, no life, no fun -- no name. Maybe I'll come back once in a while to make Mulder jealous or in some post- Colonization fic. He grimaced. Yeah, that'll be just -great.- He wanted to bang his against the coffee table, but that was gone too. All that was left was him and the floor. They'd told him to be out of there by midnight that evening, but how the hell was he supposed to go anywhere without even a stitch of clothing? And where the hell was he supposed to go? This was the only home he'd ever known except for that cold, dark place where no one had ever paid any attention to him. There -was- that nice place down the road that welcomed him, but, as much as he liked it, he never seemed to get any ... well... "action" there. But, that's a hell of a lot better than this place is now, he thought angrily. He blinked. Hard. Look down at his chest through blurry eyes and winced. The bastards. They'd even taken his damn nipple rings. Without even asking him to take them out. Now THAT had hurt. Literally. Thank God, he'd hidden that diamond stud. He'd probably have to sell it for some clothing, and that broke his heart as well. He loved that stud, as he loved the man who gave it to him. Oh, Alex, he thought, I'm sure going to miss you. Guess it's back to mooning over Scully for me, or some stupid FBI Ball in a hamster suit. He was going to miss Mulder and Skinner as well; they'd -just- started to get along so well. Felt a twinge even for Frohike and Agent Courtenay. The blonde and gorgeous Agent Courtenay. Sheesh, thought Pendrell sadly, am I going to miss -him-. No more drunken nights of passion, no more fun in the lab, no more lovesick angst, nope, there would be no more of that for him. From now on, it was back to the way he was. Bored out of his friggin' mind. Pendrell bit his lip hard to keep from bursting into tears and was so intent on doing so, he didn't hear the front door opening. And by the time he looked up... Alex Krycek was already standing there. And oddly enough... He was smiling. "I like your new look," he said, with a wink, nodding at Pendrell's natural display. Pendrell grinned back weakly and shrugged. "Well, I didn't have much of a choice." Krycek crouched down, and then sat next to Pendrell. "They really cleaned you out here." Pendrell nodded. Sadly. "Yeah. They took everything. Even the nice, uh, ornaments you gave to me." Krycek frowned and examined Pendrell's chest. His expression turned soft. "Poor sweets," he whispered and gave Pendrell a small kiss on the ear. Pendrell felt another shiver go through, but this time it wasn't the cold. "Um, thanks Alex. Nice of you to come by." "Well," said Krycek, his eyes twinkling. "The gang wanted to know if you were holding up all right and since I know you best..." Pendrell smiled. Brightly. That was the truth. Oh, he might fool around a bit with the others, but Alex always had been his first. And now, maybe even his last here in his old home. Krycek reached out his arms, and Pendrell crawled into them, reveling in Krycek's warmth, listening to the sound of his heartbeat. He slid his hands underneath Krycek's leather jacket and warmed them. Sighing loudly, he felt another wave of misery go through him. He was going to miss all of this so much. "So," Krycek whispered against his hair. "Are we going to stay here all day, or are you going to come with me to check out your new home?" Pendrell's head snapped up. "My new *what*?" he stammered. His hearing must be going. But Krycek only smiled. Sweetly. "You heard me. Did you actually think we were going to let you hang out to dry out here?" Pendrell gaped at him. "Are you serious? You guys would actually...actually..." "Yes," replied Krycek, grinning devilishly. He held up his finger, and dangling from it was a keychain. "Hell, even Frohike chipped in for it." Pendrell was astonished. "But...but... what about those... those police? The ones who came here and took everything away? Who told me that I was shut down?" Krycek's face darkened. "You won't have to worry about them anymore." "Why not?" Pendrell asked. Curiously. Krycek merely held up his hook in reply. Pendrell stared at the hook. Blinked. "Oh." Krycek nodded gravely. "Let's just say that they're not going to be tap dancing again any time soon." "Wow," Pendrell replied as Krycek got up and held out a hand to him. Handed over his leather jacket for Pendrell to tie around his waist for at least a -bit- of modesty. Pendrell took it and beamed at his deliverer. "So, you said, even Frohike missed me?" Together, he and Krycek walked out the door, with Krycek still smiling. "Oh sure, he did. Remember, he gets about as much as you used to get." "Sheesh," said Pendrell, as they walked toward the sunset. "Well, we'll have -definitely- to do something about that." ~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE END and THE BEGINNING! Note: I was feeling a little blue about my poor Shoppe closing up, but all good things must only get better. DBKate dbkate@yahoo.com