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Getting out of his car, Skinner cursed as he fumbled for his cell phone, shifting his briefcase to his other hand. �Skinner.� �Mr Skinner, it�s Catherine. Can we meet for lunch?� �Sure. Um, say twelve-thirty. Johnsons on�� �I know the restaurant well Mr Skinner. But I�m afraid this requires some privacy. I�ll give you my address�� Skinner listened, then opened his case on the hood of his car, quickly finding pen and paper before he forgot the details he had just been given. ************** Later that day� Skinner sat back and sipped at the strong black coffee Catherine had poured for them both. �Where did you get my number?� �The moment you called me, your number went on my speed-dial. Now, I want to talk about what you did for little Fox.� Catherine got up and pushed a videotape into her VCR. Skinner watched himself self-consciously, aware that what he had imagined was private between them was about to be opened up to scrutiny. ********** �Why did you take your t-shirt off?� �I didn�t want to get sticky.� Catherine let that one pass. �A sleeveless top would have sufficed. As Mulder�s new Dom�� �What?!� Skinner exploded. Catherine frowned. �You�ve taken Mulder on, right?� �Wrong.� Skinner said sharply. �Then what the Hell were you doing?� �Trying to relax him.� Catherine made a disbelieving sound. �Wanna try again?� Skinner didn�t understand. �I was doing a nice thing for an Agent in trouble.� �Giving them the cab fare home is �doing a nice thing� Mr Skinner. What you did was above and beyond.� Skinner calmed slightly. �I didn�t know what else to do.� He finished lamely. Catherine sighed loudly and poured Skinner some more coffee, handing him her phone along with his cup. �Cancel your afternoon.� ************** Catherine wound the recording on, stopping it suddenly. They both heard Fox�s loud voice. �Red.� Skinner put down his cup. Surely he hadn�t done anything wrong. �I stopped. He used his word, and I stopped.� �You stopped. You didn�t ask what was wrong. A manipulative sub will stop you every ten seconds for no reason. If you ask and don�t like the answer, stop the activity. You stopped, which was good, but you left yourself open to a pushy sub.� �So I was half-right?� Walter said, desperate to salvage some pride. �Or half-wrong.� Catherine said smiling indulgently. ********** �You�re going to have to trust me now. I want you to take off your jacket.� Skinner�s hands shook slightly. They had discussed Skinner�s actions in detail, Catherine forcing him to consider every aspect of what he had done, both on the videotape and elsewhere. Finally, the topic had strayed into Mulder�s reaction to the massage, and Skinner�s confusion. Dropping the jacket over the back of the chair, Skinner stood awkwardly, not sure where to look. �And your tie.� Warily, Skinner laid the tie on top of the jacket. �Shirt.� �Undershirt.� �Pants.� �No.� �Mr Skinner, I told you I try to give you an insight into Mulder�s state of mind that evening. Now trust me and take off your pants.� Slowly, remembering he was doing this for Mulder, Skinner did as Catherine instructed. �Kneel down. Keep your eyes on the floor.� After what seemed like hours, just at the point Skinner�s knees were beginning to protest about the discomfort, Catherine lifted his chin with a finger. �That was three minutes. Seemed like longer, right? You worked on Mulder, in virtual silence for an hour. Getting my point?� �No. It was completely different.� Skinner snapped, his humiliation adding to his tone. �Really? I agree the circumstances were different. The dynamic � I�m fully-dressed and standing over you and you�re�not � is entirely similar. Right now, I have power you don�t. And I haven�t touched you. Certainly not in the intimate way you touched Fox. Get dressed.� ************* Skinner listened with a feeling closer to horror than anything else. Catherine�s description of the path he would have to guide Mulder along to get him back to the point where he could function normally was horrendous. He looked up and saw Catherine staring intently at him. �I can�t do it.� �Why not?� Catherine�s apparently casual question suddenly seemed loaded with meaning and Skinner swallowed hard. �I�m straight.� �And?� Skinner looked away. �If it got out�� Catherine smiled reassuringly. �One, Mulder�s not gay either. He�s�I�m not sure he knows what he is. And you shouldn�t worry about your�arrangement becoming public knowledge. There are plenty of people in much more powerful positions than you who have a similar lifestyle they wish to keep private.� Skinner sighed. �How will I know if I�m doing something wrong?� Catherine tried for flippancy. �If Mulder�s cowering under the desk, you went too�� She stopped as she saw Skinner�s genuine nervousness. �Ask him. Tell him. Whatever seems appropriate at the time. You�re kinda breaking new ground here.� Skinner sagged in the chair, his head in his hands. �I don�t know�� Catherine got up and lifted Skinner�s head, her slender, perfectly manicured fingers keeping a deceptively firm grip on his jaw. �Yes you do. Now go home and think about everything we talked about.� �And this time next week?� Skinner asked, a slight smile managing to form. �Come and have lunch again.� Skinner got up, retrieving his coat. �Thanks.� �I meant what I said Mr Skinner. Any harm comes to little Fox and I�ll blame you. You won�t like me angry. If you need to talk to someone, call me.� Skinner nodded and walked to the door. ************ Catherine stood, thoughtfully silent, for some time after he�d left. ************* Skinner walked back to his car feeling like he�d been kicked. Hard. Repeatedly. Catherine�s gentle manner and eventual understanding of his circumstances � his and Mulder�s he corrected himself � didn�t change the facts. He had probably done more harm than good. �Should have left well alone Wisk.� He muttered bitterly as he unlocked his car and got in. ************ The smoke preceded the man. �So Skinner�s in over his head?� He asked snidely. Catherine got up. �He just needs a little guidance, that�s all.� She said firmly. Spender laughed hollowly, the sound morphing into a cough. When he had his breath back, he turned to leave. �There must be another Rob out there for Fox. Find one.� Catherine shook her head. �Fox has Skinner now. He doesn�t need another Rob.� Spender lit another cigarette, staring at her. �What Fox needs and what he gets, as Skinner�s about to find out, are two completely different things. If you don�t want to be involved, there are other clubs.� Catherine didn�t miss the unvoiced threat. Help us or regret the consequences. �Skinner�s unsure of the rules. Once he learns them, I have the feeling he�ll be just as firm with Fox as Rob was.� The lie placated Spender. �Okay. I�ll be back in a month.� He stubbed his cigarette out and left. Continued in the next part... Click here to go to the next part Return to the X-Files Fic Index Return to the West Wing Fic Index
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