Title: Control Issues Part Three Skinner groaned as he turned over and pulled himself out of bed. Glancing at the clock as he walked to the bedroom door, he sighed. Two am. As he descended the stairs, Skinner hoped the person on the other side of the door had a damned good reason for being there. Opening the door, he only just caught Mulder as he lurched unsteadily on the doorstep. �Mulder, are you drunk?� Skinner asked only semi-rhetorically. Evidently, Mulder�s coat was in one of the places he�d been drinking. �He�threw me out�� Mulder shook his head several times. �Who?� Skinner asked, again knowing the answer. �Rob�he�threw me out.� Mulder continued to shake his head as if hoping the gesture of refusal would alter the facts. Or excuse his sudden appearance. Skinner sighed and hauled the younger man into his apartment. As his hands gripped Mulder�s arms, he couldn�t believe how cold the flesh under his fingers was. �Mulder, you�re freezing!� Horrified, Skinner pushed him down onto the couch, pulled off his shoes covered him with the throw from the back of the couch and walked into the kitchen. �Here. Drink this. It�ll warm you up.� Mulder�s hands shook as he drank the warm soup. Skinner returned a couple of minutes later with a pillow and a thick quilt. He pushed the pillow behind Mulder�s head and tucked the quilt around him. Taking the empty cup from Mulder, Skinner sighed. �We�ll talk in the morning. Try and get some sleep. Yell if you need anything.� As he walked from the room, he turned back briefly. Mulder was almost hidden under the thick cover, which moved as he shivered. ************* The following morning� Skinner waited in the kitchen, reading the paper, until he heard sounds of movement from the living room. He walked in, opened the curtains and looked down at Mulder whose eyes were screwed tightly shut against the sudden unwelcome light. �Come on in the kitchen when you�re ready.� Mulder took the coffee mug Skinner handed him, sipping at it without looking. He grimaced at the unfamiliar taste. �Camomile. It�s good for hangovers.� �I should go.� �Or you could just get changed, spend the day here and relax for a few hours.� �Really, sir, it�s okay.� �Bedroom, now. Go on. I laid out some stuff I think will fit.� Naturally submissive, Fox didn�t miss the tone of Skinner�s instruction. Neither did it occur to him to do anything other than as he was told. *********** �Why did he throw you out Mulder?� Mulder looked like he wasn�t going to answer. Eventually, head down, he muttered: �I said no.� �To what Mulder?� �He wanted to�� Although he was adjusting to discussing personal things with Skinner, Mulder was still embarrassed. �It�s okay Mulder. You don�t have to explain.� Skinner refilled Mulder�s cup and put it in front of him. Smelling the coffee, Mulder picked up the mug, draining almost half in a single swallow before realising how hot it was and coughing. �He said I couldn�t use my safe word. You said he had to let me. I told him what you said and he got angry. He should have listened to me, right?� �That�s right.� Skinner kept his tone even, aware that they were dealing with something they both found difficult to discuss openly. �He threw my stuff into the hallway and locked me out of my apartment.� �He locked you out of your own apartment?� Skinner was horrified. He hadn�t realised Mulder had been at home the previous evening. And his guilt at knowing he was to blame for Mulder�s predicament made him angry. �Yeah. I guess my keys are still on the coffee table.� �Do you have a spare anywhere?� �In my desk drawer at work.� �I�ll drive you in now. You can go back to your apartment and shower and change.� �I can get a cab.� Mulder said quickly. �Mulder, he might still be there. Are you sure you want to go alone?� That was something Mulder hadn�t considered. He shivered. �He might still be angry.� Skinner got up, heading for the door. �That makes two of us Agent Mulder. Come on.� ************** Mulder opened his front door slowly, suddenly grateful Skinner was at his side. He walked cautiously into the apartment, letting out a deep breath when he realised the apartment was empty. Skinner turned to go. �Get your locks changed Mulder. And lock the door when I�m gone in case he�s just gone out.� �Yes sir.� �I�ll see you tomorrow Mulder.� �Yeah. Thanks sir.� Skinner smiled. �Any time Mulder. Any time.� *************** �Hello Rob.� �Catherine.� He frowned at the envelope she handed him. �It�s a refund of your membership. Never, ever, come back here. Find another town to play in. You won�t get into another club in DC.� �I�ll need a reference.� �After your behaviour?� �You can�t do that! Without a reference, I�ll never get into another�� Rob�s voice trailed off as he looked at Catherine�s implacable expression. �This is Fox getting his own back, right?� Catherine shook her head. �I haven�t spoken to Fox in some time.� �He�s with someone else. Walter Skinner. I hope he understands what Fox needs.� Catherine shrugged. �Walter�s been taking care of Fox for the past few days.� �Taking care? Whatever.� Rob shrugged. �If I had known how you were treating Fox, I�d have taken him away from you long before now.� Rob made a dismissive sound. �He liked it.� �You were irresponsible. He was new, you were not. You went too far. He didn�t know he could say no.� �Are we done?� Rob got up, his anger radiating off his tense body. �I think so.� Catherine said calmly. ********** Three weeks later� �Anything else?� Skinner was hungry and wanted to end the meeting. Mulder said loudly: �Agent Harris owes me an apology.� Skinner looked from Mulder to Harris, who looked surprised at Mulder�s comment. �Okay everyone, thanks. Agent Mulder, Agent Harris, stay where you are.� Mulder got to his feet, swaying slightly. �He criticised me in front of everyone. He should apologise in front of everyone.� Harris had had enough. �What the Hell did I do Mulder?� Mulder made an angry sound. �You don�t remember?� Harris looked to Skinner for help. �Thanks everyone.� The other people in the room started to get up a second time but, yet again, Mulder�s anger stopped them. �Ask them.� Mulder gestured to the people around him. Skinner locked eyes with Mulder until the younger man looked away. He was shocked at the dark rings under Mulder�s bloodshot eyes. �All right that�s enough Agent Mulder. Agent Harris, go back to your desk. I may want to talk to you later. Everyone else, thanks.� Skinner slammed his office door closed. �Okay Mulder, wanna tell me what that was about?� �He said no-one would be able to read my report because of my handwriting.� Mulder said angrily. Skinner couldn�t believe what he was hearing. �A colleague commented on your poor penmanship, which, by the way, is pretty much true, and you humiliate him in front of a roomful of people? What is wrong with you lately Mulder?� Mulder made for the door and Skinner stood in front of it, arms crossed. �I want an answer Mulder.� �Move away from the door.� �That�s �move away from the door SIR� Agent Mulder.� Skinner said warningly. Mulder attempted to push Skinner out of the way only to find Skinner had no intention of moving. �Mulder, what the HELL do you think you�re playing at?� Skinner shouted, heedless of the inevitable attention his raised voice would be attracting. Mulder�s whole body tensed suddenly and he wrapped his arms around his torso, his head dropping. Skinner had to listen carefully to hear Mulder�s terrified whisper. �I�m sorry. Please�broccoli�no�stop�� Skinner stared at Mulder for only a moment before moving from the door to Mulder. Putting his hands on Mulder�s shoulders, he shook him gently. �Mulder, listen, you�re safe. It�s okay. Mulder, look at me. Come on now. Hush now. That�s it.� Infinitely slowly, Mulder�s head lifted and he looked into Skinner�s worried eyes. Tears flowed down his cheeks as he whispered: �I�m sorry.� Skinner left Mulder for a moment, going into the outer office. �Kim, would you go down to Mulder�s office and bring back his coat. Please also find Agent Scully and tell her Agent Mulder is taking the afternoon off. As am I. Cancel or re-arrange my meetings please. Thanks.� Bemused, Skinner�s assistant left the office. ************ For the second time, Skinner drove Mulder home, steered him into the bedroom and pulled the curtains. �See if you can get some sleep Mulder.� �I can�t sir.� Mulder said haltingly. �I just lie in bed but I can�t�� Skinner thought for a moment. �Mulder, we can get you some pills, but I really don�t think they�re gonna help you. What is it keeps you awake? Is the bed uncomfortable? Is it too much coffee?� Yet again, Mulder looked like he wasn�t going to reply. He closed his eyes for a long moment, then opened them. �You wouldn�t understand.� Mulder said quietly. Dropping onto the edge of the bed, Skinner put a hand on Mulder�s shoulder. �Try me.� �Rob isn�t returning my calls. And he hasn�t been here in three weeks.� �Mulder, it�s for the best. He wasn�t good for you.� Mulder looked up, his eyes already bright with tears. �He loved me.� Skinner sighed. �He hurt you Mulder. He made you bleed. He didn�t care what you wanted. He was only interested in what he needed. That isn�t love.� Angrily, Mulder snapped: �I knew you wouldn�t understand.� His voice deliberately gentle, Skinner said: �Yeah, Mulder. I do.� It was a few moments before the meaning behind Skinner�s words sunk in, and Mulder looked up slowly. �You�� Suddenly deciding there was such a thing as too much truth, Skinner backtracked. �I know what it�s like to think you�re all alone in the world Mulder. But you�re not. You have people who care about you.� �Who?� Mulder demanded aggressively. �Scully�� Skinner stopped, suddenly aware that the list of people who cared about Mulder was very short indeed. �Who else?� Mulder persisted. �Me. I care about you. You�re a brilliant profiler, a good agent.� �With crappy handwriting.� Mulder said, a little calmer. Skinner smiled. �Yeah. Now get comfortable, close your eyes and get some rest. I�ll wake you in time for dinner.� �Are you going to make that stew again?� �Did you like it?� Mulder nodded tiredly. �Yeah. Just put less vegetables in it this time.� Skinner stared at Mulder, eyebrows raised. �Please.� Mulder swallowed hard as he waited for Skinner�s anger. Skinner�s reaction surprised him. He laughed, reaching down to ruffle Mulder�s hair. �I�ll see what I can do Mulder. I�ll make a run to the store while you rest.� ************** Not finding anywhere to hang his coat, Skinner opened the hall closet. He still felt uncomfortable at what he felt was his intrusiveness, but Mulder didn�t appear to mind, so he reached into the closet for a light. Flicking it on, his eyes were immediately drawn to a half-closed cardboard box on the floor. Skinner lifted the lid and looked at the contents. �Oh Mulder�� ************** Skinner didn�t mention the box while Mulder sat at the table, picking disinterestedly at his stew. He didn�t mention it while he washed up and Mulder sat at the table watching him. He didn�t mention it while they played a closely-fought game of chess. Skinner looked at his watch. �I should get going. I�ll drive us in tomorrow.� �Okay. Thanks for dinner.� As he got up, Skinner couldn�t hold back any longer. �Mulder, how the Hell did that box get back in your hall closet?� Mulder�s face paled instantly, his eyes widening, his chest heaving. Skinner almost regretted his words, but he was angry, and he wanted an answer. �I bought new stuff.� �Why?� �Because you burned the old stuff.� Mulder said simply. �Mulder!� Skinner groaned. �It must have cost you a fortune.� Mulder�s head dropped. �It did.� Skinner was immediately more concerned with the idea that Mulder wouldn�t make rent than the mental image of Mulder�s Dom using the contents of the box on his sub. �Mulder, if you need money, I mean, the apartment�� Mulder shook his head quickly. �It�s okay. Rent�s paid.� Skinner frowned. �Either you�re getting paid too much or�� He stopped as he realised what Mulder meant. The rent was paid. By someone else. Embarrassed for having put Mulder in such an awkward position, Skinner nodded. �Okay. But if you need anything�� �I�m fine sir. Really.� Mulder forced a totally false smile onto his face. Skinner wasn�t fooled for a moment. �Mulder, I know it�s difficult, but you really can trust me. I want your word you�ll come to me if you need help.� �Yes sir.� Mulder said, not meaning it. �Okay.� Skinner walked to the front door, not at all reassured by Mulder�s obvious lie. ************** A few days later� Mulder replaced the phone and began to get up. �Would you excuse me sir? I have to see someone.� Skinner looked up from a file containing details of a case Mulder had asked him to look over. �Who?� �Um�no-one.� �Then you won�t need to leave the room.� �Uh, I meant, no-one you know.� Skinner got up from where he was sitting on the edge of Mulder�s desk. Following Mulder out, he muttered: �You�d be surprised who I know Agent Mulder.� *********** �Rob.� Mulder was cautious. Although they were in public, he was still wary of the older man. �Will.� Skinner frowned at the use of Mulder�s middle name. What was acceptable in private was not always sensible in public. He walked across and held out his hand. �Senator. I�m Agent Mulder�s supervisor AD Skinner.� Rob nodded briefly. �Would you excuse us?� Skinner stayed where he was. �Agent Mulder and I have no secrets, right Agent Mulder?� Cheeks burning, Mulder shook his head. �No sir.� Rob shrugged. �I�m leaving DC. My father�s retiring from the family business. I�ll be taking over.� �Okay.� Mulder said disinterestedly. �Are you done Senator?� Skinner asked sharply. Looking from Mulder to Skinner, Rob said quietly: �If he doesn�t bleed, he doesn�t enjoy it.� �Really? People can change.� Skinner heard himself say. Angrily, Rob turned to leave. �Good luck Will. I hope you get what you need from him.� Mulder wasn�t sure what, if anything, he was expected to say. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, he settled for �Bye.� Continued in Part Five Home Send me feedback on this fic Return to the X-Files Fic Index Return to the West Wing Fic Index