Title: Mnemosyne, Chapter 10, Part 1 of ?

Author: Kendall

Fandom: X-Files

Rating: NC-17

Pairing: S/M/K.

Archive: All requests are welcomed

Date: June 8, 2002

Category: AU

Spoilers: None specifically

Warnings: Contains scenes of m/m sex and discipline. If this offends you please *LEAVE NOW*

Disclaimer: Skinner, Mulder, Krycek, Scully and Doggett and the X-File all belong to Chris Carter, 1013 Productions and the Fox Network.

Series: Greek Gods

Summary: Everyone is forgetting something…uhm…what could it be?

Mnemosyne (Goddess of Memories)

"Am I glad you are home," Fox Mulder said as he planted a hasty kiss on Skinner's lips as the older man came through the door.

"Glad to be home…what's going on? Why do you look so frazzled?"

"Alex and Cooper are fighting."

"Already? I thought it would take longer than this," Walter said with a sigh as he took off his jacket and tie and handed them to Fox. "What happened?"

"They were at the hospital and Cooper brought up the question about where Gabriel should stay after he gets out of the hospital. He said that the ranch would be a better choice than the city to recuperate. Gabriel thanked him and said that he would think about it."

"But he didn't say yes for sure did he?" Walter said and took out a bottle of beer from the refrigerator.

"No. But I guess Alex felt he didn't have a good enough argument so he got angry and stormed out without saying a word."

"That's our boy," Walter said shaking his head. "I'm surprised he didn't punch Cooper before he left."

"He did…right in the eye," Fox said trying not to chuckle, "And when Coop, Chris and I got home a few minutes after Alex they had it out again. They've been screaming and slamming doors at each other since then. The last slam is what you heard when you came in."

"What does Chris have to say about all this?"

"He is with Coop in their room trying to talk some sense into him," Fox said and then smirked, "Which is more than I have been able to accomplish with our Rat."

"Okay…I think this has gone far enough," Walter said with a deep sigh, "We all need to talk this out like

adults."

"Yeah…like adults," Fox said nodding as he followed Walter up the stairs.

"I said like adults…stop this…Alex stop," Walter said as he struggled to keep Alex's foot from connecting with Cooper's shin again.

"Coop…Spud stop," Chris Newman was yelling trying to get his lover to calm down as well.

Fox for his part sat on the couch watching the two combatants go at it. He still could not believe how the conversation had so quickly deteriorated into this free-for all. They had gotten Alex and Coop downstairs easily enough…Chris and Walter carrying their respective lovers over their shoulders and unceremoniously dumping them each on the couch.

The conversation had also begun easily enough. Walter asked to hear what had happened and that is when all hell broke loose and the twins started yelling and had jumped out of their seats and would have punched each other out if Chris and Walter had not caught them in mid-jump.

"Enough!" Walter shouted in his full-blown Deputy Director voice and the yelling came to an abrupt end. "That's better," he added when the twins had resumed their seats. "Okay…now if you let me tell you about the conversation I had earlier with my mother…"

"Mom called? What did she say?" Alex asked, surprised by the news.

"She called the office. She has been worried about how you two would deal with Gabriel and suggested a possible solution. She thinks that maybe the best thing is for Gabriel to recuperate in neutral territory. She suggested that he stay at our farm. So what do you think?"

"Great…if Gabriel will go for it," Alex said with a big smile.

"Oh yeah…great for you…he'll only be three hours away from you but he'll still be too far from me," Cooper groused.

"Gentlemen," Walter said sternly, "What you both seem to forget is that Gabriel is an adult and as such can make his own decisions. I think a neutral place, where he doesn't have to be the rope in your little tug of war is exactly what he needs. If it not at my folks place then somewhere else and let me tell you I am very disappointed in the both of you."

"As am I," Chris said looking as serious as Walter did. "This should be a happy time for the two of you. You've found your brother. But instead of acting like adults you turn into five year olds who don't know how the hell to share."

"Chris is right," Walter said, "And since you have decided to act like children I think we will treat you as such. It is seven thirty now. Alex go upstairs take a shower and then find a corner in our bedroom…"

"What! A corner…you aren't punishing me for this…it's not my fault," Alex yelled as he jumped out of his seat. "It's not fair."

"We don’t act like spoiled brats in this house Alexei," Walter said sternly, "You chose to do so now you pay the consequences. Get upstairs now…you are going to be in bed in an hour."

"This is so not fair Walter," Alex said glaring at the older man and then turning to Cooper said, "How come he doesn’t get punished too."

Cooper who had been smiling smugly as Walter handed down his sentence lost his smile at Chris' words, "Oh I think that Walter's punishment idea is just perfect. Spud get yourself upstairs and take a shower… then find a corner."

"Awww Chris," Cooper began but one look at Chris' impassive face changed his mind and rushed up the stairs.

"Alexei…" Walter growled menacingly when Alex hadn't moved.

"Yes sir," Alex said resigned to his fate and trudge up the stairs.

"What are we going to do with those two," Chris said shaking his head, "This is going to be tough."

"I think Mom's idea is a great compromise Walter," Fox said, "As long as we promise Coop that Alex will not be staying at the farm all the time. I think Coop is afraid that if Alex has too much time with Gabriel then they will form a stronger bond that Coop would have with Gabriel."

"Yes…that is what I thought might be going through their devious little minds," Walter said with a chuckle. "Come on fellas lets get this over with."

"Owwww….owwww…I'm sorry…I'm sorry…Waaaalter….stoppp," Alex cried as another set of spanks landed on his exposed behind.

"Do we slam doors and act like brats?"

"No sir…ouch…owwww…I'm sorry…sorreeee…I…I acted…like a brat…I'm sorry…I'm sorreeeee…"

"Do we resolve anything with our fists and by kicking?"

"Noooo…ouch…owww…please…please," Alex sobbed and buried his face deeper into the comforter.

"I'm disappointed in you Alex…very disappointed."

At Walter's stern words Alex began crying in earnest, almost reaching the point of hyperventilating.

"Why Alex…why act like a brat when you have no reason to?"

"Aaaawwww…I…I was…am…am afraid…" the young Russian said between gasps.

Walter's hand stopped in mid-spank and he asked, "What are you afraid Alex?"

"I…I don’t know…I…sob…I haven't had these sob…feelings…be…before…sob…I don’t know…" Alex said crying brokenly.

"Walter?" Fox said from his seat at the foot of the bed, "He's had enough."

Looking at the crimson buttocks and thighs over his lap Walter had to agree that Alex had been punished enough, "Yes…it's over Alex…it's over sweetie…come on calm down…" he said as he rubbed soothing circles on Alex's back. "Come on sit up honey…come on Alex…"

Alex felt himself being lifted off Walter's strong thighs and re-deposited on them so that his tender rump was off any surface, "I'm…I'm sorry…"

"I know you are Alex…it'll be okay…I promise," Walter said hugging him tightly.

"How…how can…can you promise…" Alex said between hiccups.

"Because I saw the way Gabriel is…he is a good man Alex…he would never do anything to hurt either you or Coop and what does it matter whether or not he is living here with us or not. My brothers and sister don’t live so close to each other yet you know we love each other don’t you?"

"Yeah…sob…I guess…it's just that…I never…never expected sob…it to be this way…I just…just don’t like feeling like this."

"Feeling like what babe?" Fox said as he sat next to his lovers and kissed Alex's bare back, "Tell us how you feel."

"It…it hurts to think…that…that Gabriel is going to like…Cooper better than me…"

"But he hasn’t even gotten to know you guys…what makes you think he is going to choose Coop over you if he chooses at all…"

Alex gave him a disbelieving look before replying, "Come on Wa…Walter…how do…do I compare to Cooper… he is perfect…"

Walter could not help but snort in amusement, "Oh Alex my love…no one is perfect and no one expects you to be perfect. Gabriel is going to love you just the way you are…Fox and I do."

"I…I love you too," Alex said and then yawned.

"I think you need to get some sleep now buddy," Walter said and kissed him on the forehead as Alex laid his head on Walter's shoulder.

"Not yet…I want to apologize…to Coop," Alex said with another yawn.

Walter helped him stand and Fox handed him a robe. Alex walked down the hallway and hesitantly knocked on the guest room door. He was surprised when a teary-eyed Cooper answered. "Uhm…Coop…"

That is as far as he got before Cooper wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug, "I'm sorry Alex…I'm an idiot…I'm sorry…"

Alex didn't hesitate to return the hug and both men missed the smiles of their respective lovers.

"Do I have something on my face?" Gabriel Wolff asked with a smirk.

"What?" Alex asked with surprise.

"Well you both keep staring at me so I figured I had something on my face," Gabriel said with a smile as he looked at his brothers who were sitting across from him at the dinner table.

"Sorry," both Cooper and Alex mumbled as they quickly looked down and began inspecting the spaghetti on their plates. The duo blushed vividly at the sound of their respectively lovers laughing.

"They are just happy to see you looking so well Gabriel," Walter said smiling. Gabriel did indeed look much improved after a brief stay at the hospital. The doctors had given him permission to recuperate at home and he had readily agreed to go to Walter parent's farm. Gabriel had not even hesitated when Walter had made the proposal and Walter suspected it was due to the fact that the former priest knew that any other choice would make one of his newly found siblings upset. Walter Skinner had thanked the powers that be that Gabriel Wolff was a man of deep intuition and feeling.

"And I am thankful that everything turned out so well," Gabriel replied. "I'm in your debt for all you have done…and will do in the future."

"Nothing we wouldn't do for Alex's brothers," Fox said. He had promised Gabriel financial assistance in making sure that the plight of his friends in Mexico was not forgotten.

"Aren't you hungry?" Cooper asked noticing that Gabriel had eaten very little.

"My apologies," Gabriel said sheepishly, "I am a little tired…"

"We shouldn't have let you do so much today," Chris said frowning, "You just left the hospital."

"And we have a busy day tomorrow," Walter reminded everyone.

"Yes," Fox said with a big smile.

"Coop, Alex why don’t you help Gabriel get set up and we'll clean up," Walter suggested.

The trio needed no further urging and headed upstairs.

"Fox are you all packed…we leave at seven," Walter asked as they began to clear the table.

"Why so early?" Fox asked innocently, "Anything going on?"

"No…but we will probably have to stop often so Gabriel doesn't get too tired out. I want to make the farm by noon."

"Oh," Fox said a little disappointed at the reason but not saying anything else.

"Fox…Fox wake up," Walter urged his sleeping lover.

Mulder stretched languidly and slowly opened his eyes fully expecting to see his lover hovering over him ready to take care of Mulder's obvious erection. What he found instead made his eyes snap wide open "You…you are…you are dressed?"

"As should you be…come on Fox it's a quarter to seven."

"But…but…" Fox stuttered.

"It'll be your butt on a sling if you don’t get moving," Walter said sternly, "We are leaving in fifteen minutes…with or without you."

Fox watched him leave and tears sprung to his hazel eyes, "He forgot," he thought to himself, "He forgot."

Fifteen minutes later still wet from a quick, cold shower he met the other five men in the driveway.

"Morning Fox," Alex said giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Morning," Fox said sullenly.

"What's the matter?" Alex asked raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing," Fox said glaring at Walter's back as the older man loaded their bags in the car.

"Fox, I'll take Alex, Coop and Gabriel on Alex's SUV," Walter informed him, "You can go with Chris in yours."

It was all Fox could do to keep from crying at his lover's words so he bit his lip and gave a curt nod.

"Walter? What did you do to him?" Alex asked with concern.

"Me? I didn’t do anything to him," Walter said truly surprised by the question. "He just didn't want to get up and I didn’t want to put up with his whining. We better get going…I want to spend sometime with my folks this weekend before I have to get back on Sunday."

Everyone boarded their respective vehicles and they were on their way.

"You are awful quite there Mulder," Chris commented as he watched the younger man drive. He could tell Fox was upset about something by the death-grip he had on the steering wheel.

"Uhm…"

"I said that you've been awful quite. Something wrong?"

"No."

"Oooo-kay," Chris said shrugging his shoulders, "You know you can talk to me if something is bothering you. I hope you consider me enough of a friend to talk to me and know that if you didn't want me to tell Alex and Walter that I wouldn't."

Fox gave him a side way glance but quickly returned his eyes to the road, "I appreciate that Chris…but there is nothing you can do about it."

"So there is something," Chris said continuing to push, "I mean it is obvious that there is something…."

"Chris…stop," Fox said with a sigh, "I've never been able to hide my emotions very well…well not since I hooked up with Walter and Alex…and yes there is something wrong but if I have to say what it is…it makes it worse…okay."

"I have no clue what that meant Mulder," Chris said, "I'm just a dumb cowpoke from Wyoming. If you are hurting because someone did something to hurt you wouldn't it make sense to tell them so they don’t do it again?"

Fox chuckled and shook his head, "That would be logical and you have to remember that all my life I've dealt with the illogical. Just ask Scully."

"Is this something you can talk to her about?"

"No…she…uhm…she and John took the boys to New York to see his folks…maybe if she calls later today it'll make things better."

"Okay Mulder," Chris conceded after a moment's hesitation. He didn't want to push further.

"We'll be at the farm in fifteen minutes," Fox said, "It'll be good to see Walter's folks again."

"Yeah…it's really nice for them to offer to take Gabriel. I didn’t want to put up with the Spud if Gabriel decided to stay with you guys."

"Ditto with Alex," Fox agreed.

The rest of the trip was completed in silence.

Fox's mood darkened, as he still didn't hear the words he had been hoping to hear all morning. He smiled pleasantly as Sarah and Walter Skinner Sr. made them all welcome with big hugs and smiles. The older woman fussed over Gabriel as Mulder expected she would.

They had settled everyone in their respective rooms and Fox had begged off from lunch claiming to have a headache. Walter had raised an eyebrow in question but had let it go when some of his brothers had arrived to join them for lunch.

Alex and Walter would share Ben's room while Chris and Coop would take Jim's room, leaving Gabriel to stay in Walter's old room, which was the largest. Fox had readily agreed to take the sofa bed in the study, which was the only room with a television. Alone in his room he finally allowed his emotions to get the better of him and he cried into his pillow…all the while berating himself silently for his stupidity at letting something as inconsequential as his lovers having forgotten the day of his birth.

He really couldn't blame them…after all they had been preoccupied with all the events of the last few days. Besides, Mulder reasoned, it wasn’t as he himself had ever cared much for his birthday. His parents had stopped celebrating it the year Samantha had been abducted and his quest for the truth had been so time consuming he himself had often forgotten the date until well past it.

But this felt different…it was his fortieth birthday. They had celebrated Walter's in private and had had a huge party for Alex so why shouldn't he expect something too. Mulder angrily pounded the pillow and wiped at his runny nose, annoyed at his perceived weakness.

What truly bothered him is that everyone seemed to have forgotten about this day. Scully, the Gunmen, everyone. But it was still early in the day…after all it wasn’t even one o'clock yet, he reasoned with a hint of hope, that someone would still call to wish him a happy birthday.

A knock on the door startled him out of his thoughts and he tried to make himself presentable before saying, "Yes?"

"Fox…its Mom. Are you all right honey?" Sarah Skinner asked with concern.

"Yeah…yes Mom…I'm fine," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "I'm feeling better…I'll be down in a little while."

"Are you sure? You sound a little hoarse…maybe you are coming down with a cold. Can I come in?"

"Its all right…really…I'm…I'm not dressed," Fox lied hating himself for it as the words left his mouth. "I promise…I'll be down shortly."

Still unconvinced Sarah decided not to push, "Okay Fox…"

Sighing deeply and feeling even worse than before Fox stood and took deep breaths to calm himself. Looking himself at the mirror hanging behind the door he said out loud to himself, "Fox William Mulder stop being such a baby…you are forty years old…not four…" and with that he walked out of the room.

"Walter?"

"Yes Alexei?"

"What's the matter with Fox? Did I do something?"

"I'm not sure…maybe I was a bit rough with him this morning," Walter said rubbing a hand over his face. "I'll talk to him after dinner."

"Okay…he's been so jumpy. It's weird. Every time the phone rang he jumped and every time it wasn’t for him he seemed…I don’t know disappointed."

"Yeah…I know," Walter agreed, "But you know Fox…maybe he is fretting over a deadline he didn't tell us about."

"I hope that is all it is," Alex said then added, "Will it be all right if I sit with Gabriel for a while?"

Walter smiled indulgently at him and nodded, "Yes of course. How about if you meet me in the barn in about two hours. Everyone will be gone by then and we could…uhm…you know."

Alex smiled widely and wrapped his body around Walter's and hugged him, "Uhm…you know…that's my favorite thing to do. What about Foxlet?"

"I'll talk to him while you are with Gabriel," Walter promised, "We'll both meet you in the barn."

"Can't wait," Alex said his voice hoarse with lust as he kissed Skinner deeply.

"Mom? Have you seen Fox?" Walter asked as he entered the kitchen a few minutes later.

"I needed some things for dinner and he volunteered to go into town for them. He left a few minutes ago."

"That's strange…he didn't say anything to me?" Walter said with surprise.

"He has been acting rather strangely since he got here," Sarah said as she wiped the flour from her hands. "Did you or Alex do something to upset him?"

"We talked about it and neither of us can remember what we could have done. Sometimes Fox just gets into one of those moods."

"This is more than a mood Walter. That boy has a broken heart."

"A broken heart…what do you mean."

"His eyes looked liked he'd been crying…even if he tried to hide it…but a mother knows."

"I'll talk to him as soon as he comes back," Walter said, "I'll make it better…whatever is wrong I'll fix it."

"I hope it is something that can be fixed Walter," his mother said with a gentle smile.

Walter frowned at her words and headed outside.

"Walter? You in here?" Alex called out as he entered the barn.

"Up here babe," Walter replied from the loft.

"Where…where is Fox?" Alex asked as he quickly went up the ladder and joined Skinner, "Why isn't he here?"

"He went into town to run some errands for Mom," Walter said.

"Oh," Alex said with obvious disappointment.

"But that doesn't mean you and I can't fool around a bit before he gets here." Walter said wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"What exactly do you have in mind Mister Skinner?"

"Oh…I don’t know…uhm…maybe a little of this," Walter said placing his hand possessively over the bulge in Alex's pants, "Or maybe a little bit of this," he said as his other hand grabbed him by the back of the head, pulling him into a tonsil tickling kiss. Alex melted bonelessly into the kiss and his hand snaked around Skinner's waist and down towards the older man's buttocks, which he grabbed and squeezed, eliciting a moan of pleasure.

"Oh Gods Walter…" Alex said breathlessly when they broke apart, "Fox better get here soon or I'm going to explode."

"With the…mood he is…in I don’t think…we should…take this any fur…further," Walter said as he continued to place kisses down Alex's long neck and collar bone, enjoying the feel of the younger man in his arms.

"You…oh Gods…you are right…when…when…did you say he…man…oh dear Lord Walter…don’t…don’t stop… when do you…did you say he would be…back?"

"Been gone…couple of hours…should be back…soon," Walter said as his attack continued on the willing victim, "And what…what makes you think I have…plans to stop…"

But stop they did when someone rushed into the barn and called their names.

"ALEX! WALTER!"

"Cooper?" Walter asked surprised by the interruption. He leaned over the edge of the loft and looked down, "Cooper what's the matter?"

"The…the police just called…there's been an accident…"

"Fox Mulder where is he?" Walter demanded as he reached the nurse's desk.

"Excuse me?" the nurse on duty asked in surprise at the tall man towered over her menacingly.

"Fox Mulder! We got a call that he had been brought in here," Walter continued trying to get a hold of his emotions.

"Mister Skinner?" a voice said behind them.

"Yes…who are you?"

"My name is Doctor MacVeil. I admitted Mister Mulder before he was taken up to surgery…"

"Surgery? Oh my god Walter!" Alex said in shock at the doctor's words.

"What happened? Can somebody tell me what the hell happened?" Walter said putting an arm around Alex's shoulder to keep him from passing out.

"Walter calm down…let the man speak," Chris said and put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Sorry Doctor…" Walter said apologetically, "Please…please we need to know…"

"Mister Mulder was brought in forty minutes ago with a severe head injury and broken ribs due to the impact against the side door. It appears he ran a red light and was hit from the side by another vehicle. He did not appear to have any internal injuries…just a bruised torso, the broken ribs and the head injury."

"How bad?" Alex said in a whisper.

"We don’t know just yet," Doctor MacVeil said, "We'll know more when he is out of surgery. If you would like to wait in the waiting room, I'll have a nurse come and get you as soon as we know more."

Alex, Walter and Chris did as requested and settled in the small waiting room. Cooper had stayed at the farm with the rest of the family to wait for their call with news.

"I'll call to let them know we are here," Chris suggested after a few minutes. He felt he should give the two anxious men some time alone. Neither reacted to his words.

It was nearly two hours later, close to eleven o'clock when a doctor wearing a blood splattered smock entered the waiting area.

"Doctor?" Walter said hesitantly. "How is he?"

"He came through the surgery alive," the doctor said, "It was touch and go for a while but he should recover."

"Thank God," Walter said as he hugged Alex. "Thank you Doctor..?"

"Jack Foster," the doctor said with a tight smile, "He is not out of the woods yet. We will need to monitor him for the next few days but we will know more when he wakes up."

"So you think he'll recover without a problem."

"I wish I could tell you that with hundred percent certainty but until he wakes up we won't know for sure," Doctor Foster said, "At least he won't die today…"

The tone of the doctor's voice made Walter look at him questioningly so he asked, "What do you mean by that…I thought you said he would recover."

"It was touch and go as I said Mister Skinner," the doctor explained, "His heart arrested once and we brought him back. I hate to loose a patient at any time of course but I find it particularly difficult loosing one on their birthday."

You could have heard a pin drop in the silence that suddenly engulf the room. Walter's face lost all color and he staggered backwards until he plopped down on the couch. Chris was so surprised that he almost missed catching Alex as the younger man's knees buckled and he fell back in a dead faint.

Walter, his eyes brimming with tears, didn't even react as Chris caught Alex and gently lowered him to the floor while the doctor ran out of the room to get help.

Chris looked up to the tortured look in Skinner's face and only managed to say his name, "Walter?"

"Oh my God…how…how could we…how could we have forgotten…"